Charter Schools A Hit With Arizona Parents

October 28, 1999

Parents with students in Arizona's charter schools like what they've seen so far. More than 70 percent say they would re-enroll their children in the privately operated, publicly funded schools, according to the first Parental Satisfaction Survey for Charter Schools.

The survey, the largest of its kind, included 83 schools and more than 5,000 parents. They are particularly content with back-to-basics and college prep schools, less so with schools for at-risk students, some of which cater to dropouts.

About 66 percent gave their schools A+ or A, while only 25 percent gave their previous schools an A.

Elementary schools scored higher than middle and high schools.

Arizona has about 360 charter schools with 45,000 students.

Despite the results of this and other polls, however, the performance of charter schools isn't always that different from the traditional public system. According to a report from Arizona State's Morrison Institute for Public Policy, which included 82 charter schools and 303 parents, charter schools are turning in academic performances similar to public schools.